Priceless support for you and your business
As a home-based travel advisor, are you receiving the support you need to create the best possible version of your business? At TravelManagers, we empower our personal travel managers (PTMs) with complete, wrap-around support that reflects our unique culture of true partnership. We asked four of our PTMs to share their experiences and explain what partnership means to them:
Dominic Bellissimo – PTM based in Casula, NSW
Working with TravelManagers, I have learnt a lot about how to be my own boss while at the same time enjoying the benefits of being in a partnership. As much as I love being my own boss, I also love knowing that someone is keeping an eye on things, checking in to see that everything’s all good.
Day in, day out, there is an extensive team available to help, whether it’s for a training update or a query about accounting software. I feel taken care of – much more than in previous roles – and as a result, I’m constantly driving to do better grow my business. I can focus my energy on planning and booking holidays with my clients, because everything else works like a well-oiled machine.
Emma Lucas – PTM based in Briar Hill, VIC
When I joined TravelManagers, I’d never used Amadeus before. I’d never used Tramada either… but TravelManagers’ National Partnership Office (NPO) is so supportive – I’ve never worked with a more supportive team. When I was just starting out as a PTM, I knew that I could just phone for help: that sense of constant support is still there now.
I’m quite busy, I have a lot of clients and I don’t have time to sit on hold for an hour if I need an answer about something. Whether I call or email the NPO team, I know they will respond quickly so that I can move on to the next thing. Before joining TravelManagers, I worked in other companies where I felt I was just a number: I never feel like a number at TravelManagers.
Maria Piliouras – PTM based in North Ward, QLD
The support from the NPO team is not just things like ticketing, marketing and training, although it’s great to have them. I call on the marketing team for support quite a lot, using them to send out regular, customised newsletters to my clients on my behalf. This generates more business while freeing me to focus on advising and selling.
I have a dedicated business partnership manager (BPM) who supports me in areas like growing my business and answers any general questions I might have. If they don’t have the answer, they will connect me with someone who does.
I love that I can choose to have a locum come into my business if I am going to be away. Sometimes it’s to take a proper family holiday, but last year, when I needed to have emergency surgery, my locum stepped straight in. It gave me a huge sense of relief to know that my clients would be well looked after while I was bedridden.
Karen Whitehead – PTM based in Thurgoona, NSW
For me, being part of a bigger network is really important. Even though I am working from a home office, I actually have so many people around me. Being part of TravelManagers, I’ve got a huge support network that covers ticketing, accounts, technology – everything I could wish for.
My Business Partnership Manager (BPM) is the first person I’ll call if I need anything: great ideas, a supplier contact, or advice on a particular issue. They check in on a regular basis, and basically provide as much support as I want or need. When times are tough (for example, during COVID), it’s great to know there is someone from NPO who really cares and will support me with whatever I need.
I’m pretty much at capacity with my workload these days, and although I work alone, I can still refer any new inquiries that I can’t take on to other PTMs. This means the client is still looked after, and I love that I’m helping another PTM to build their business too – everyone wins!
I know that I will be doing this until I retire, because I cannot imagine ever going back to a retail environment. I’ve got all the support I need to be able to work how and when I choose, and I think that’s priceless.
To find out about the amazing support that’s available when you choose to partner with TravelManagers Australia, call for a confidential chat with one of our state-based Business Partnership Managers.
